From the balustrades of the Dôme des Invalides church, almost 80 metres high, the view over the Hôtel des Invalides and Paris is one of grandeur. During the Second World War, allied airmen hidden by the Resistance left their names engraved on the lead. The gold of the dome sparkles in the sun, but in heavy rain, tiny bits of gold from the decor can be torn off and tumble into the gutters. The edges and decorations of the roof compartments, the lantern, its statues and the cross were regilded in 1989. Twelve kilograms of 0.2 micron thick gold leaf were required.